A little something different for you guys this time around, the first entry of a novella-length side project I've been chipping away at in my spare time. I always thought that we should have seen a bit more of Hawke's first year in Kirkwall, as her presence with either the mercenaries or smugglers offered some additional storytelling opportunities in a game that kinda needed them. If nothing else, we'd get a chance to see Hawke doing stuff outside of Kirkwall (and dear God, did we ever need that!).<br /><br />I'm also hoping to introduce the Avvar in a bit more detail in preparation for their role in <b>The Grey Path</b>. They're a culture that we've heard of in the Dragon Age canon, but haven't really seen all that much of, so it's a good opportunity to weave a story out of whole cloth. Also want to try and practice some horror writing with this, as well as simply give Hawke the chance to do something awesome. There are plenty of DAII fics out there where Hawke's sole contributions are getting drunk at the Hanged Man and angsting over which Manichaean jerk she should go to bed with, so I think there's room for something different, something less in the vein of Stephanie Meyers and more along the lines of James Swallow or Elizabeth Moon. In any event, I do hope you all enjoy! As ever, any and all comments, favourites and suggestions are very much appreciated.